VERIFY: Are hiring bonuses standard for police departments?

WASHINGTON D.C., DC — The District is ready to pay up—to try to improve the recruitment of police officers.

Friday, Mayor Bowser announced the hiring bonus for new MPD recruits is increasing from $20,000 to $25,000.

The bonus comes in two installments: $15,000 for recruits up front and another $10,000 after completing the police academy. The announcement received some criticism on social media, but is DC’s policy really unique?

THE QUESTION

Are hiring bonuses standard for police departments?

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

No, hiring bonuses are not standard - it varies from department to department.

WHAT WE FOUND

The Baltimore police department offers $10,000 upfront.

Arlington Virginia police - $3,000.

And the Phoenix Police Department offers $7,500 to new recruits.

All three offer significantly less than D.C.’s $25,000.

We also found a couple of police departments in California that have offers larger than D.C.’s.

The San Mateo Police Department offers up to $30,000 for eligible officers with experience to make a lateral move, and just last month the Alameda City Council approved a whopping $75,000 signing bonus for officers making a lateral move to its police department.

But those don’t apply to new recruits.

Police departments in Los Angeles, New York City, San Antonio, and Dallas all tell us they don’t offer hiring bonuses at all. Instead, some - like the LAPD - use other incentive structures to reward officers based on education or other factors.

So, we can verify that no, hiring bonuses are not standard for police departments across the country. However, more cities are considering the idea to keep up with declining recruitment.